Cyprus Women Lowest Risk of Dying

Women in Cyprus and men in Iceland have the lowest risk of dying worldwide, according to a new survey published by the Lancet.

The survey was carried out from 1970 to 2010 and calculates death rates in 187 countries using records from censuses.

Only a few countries have cut death rates by more than 2% in the last 40 years: Australia, Italy, South Korea, Chile, Tunisia and Algeria. The U.S. lagged significantly behind, dropping to 49th in the rankings for women and 45th for men. That puts it behind all of Western Europe as well as countries including Peru, Chile and Libya.

Death rates were highest for men in Swaziland and for women in Zambia. Researchers also found death rates jumped in eastern Europe, perhaps because health systems fell apart after the collapse of the Soviet Union and widespread smoking. In sub-Saharan Africa, deaths have fallen, possibly due to the rollout of lifesaving AIDS drugs.